Voices In My Head (The Rick Lee James Podcast)

Kevin King & Grace Worship- Episode 367

Kevin King & Grace Worship - Episode 367
 
Kevin King's Personal Testimony – May Christ Be All
  
 
Growing up a musician, many churches will quickly throw you up on their stage. Starting to “lead” worship when I was in college, I admittedly had no idea what I was doing, but, like a good performer, I could pretend pretty well.
            Going to grad school, I began to lead worship at a large budding church and got quickly caught up in the production of the worship event. I inadvertently learned that successful worship meant a successful “experience.” This way of worship leading produced a team of tired musicians and dry hearts.
            I began attending conferences with the “coolest” artists and found my heart swept up in the temptation to be in the “in crowd” - to be known, noticed, and admired. By what these conferences seemed to preach (or what I ended up hearing) was that if I had the right team, the right lights, the right songs, and enough fervor, we would get there. I didn’t really know where the “there” was, but I knew I should be going there. My heart now pines to tell every 20 something beginning their worship leading career that this well quickly runs dry.
When worship leaders look for the “quick fix” or the “answer” to effective worship leading, we have forgotten our true calling: to simply be an arrow that points the hungry heart to the all-satisfying Christ. We are not first production designers, rock stars, artists, or icons. We are under-shepherds under the Great Shepherd. Our game is a long game, and our calling is a slow one. We don’t coerce experiences. We shepherd hearts by the deep well of the Living Word. We lean in to those who criticize us. We love them warts and all. We model the compassion of our God who all day long holds out his hands to an obstinate people (Isaiah 65). What is our greatest resource in Worship Leading? It is the true and better Worship Leader who delights to will and work in us for his good pleasure (Phil 2).
As Grace Worship has approached this project, it has been a relief to continually sing and pray “let your grace my pride relieve,” as I learn to trust that Christ’s work is infinitely more effective than my own. It is a cathartic joy to refocus the goal of my heart from performer to worshiper. I will frequently feel the weight of responsibility that whispers to me, “Without you, this would all fall apart.” Oh how deceiving a thought that plays on my need to be needed, while causing me to work myself into the ground. It is the Friend of Sinners, who leads me beside still waters and restores my soul, that reminds me that my greatest joy in life is to be an empty vessel filled with Christ. And so I pray again today that Jesus would mercifully strike down the first Adam within me to make way for the Second. May Christ be all, and I be nothing.
                                                                  
Get The EP
 
All the latest Grace Worship music news and more can be found at www.graceworship.com, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
 
About Grace Worship:
Grace Worship is the worship ministry of Grace Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Peoria, IL, a church that is passionate about making the gospel known through song and story. Before Jesus went to the cross, He prayed that His church would be one (John 17). Grace Worship desires to write and share songs that advance this mission through theologically rich and creatively beautiful art. By pulling from the heritage of Christian hymnody and integrating the church songs of today, the worship team hopes to make much of Jesus’ unifying mission through music that equips the church for worship across generations.
 
About The Fuel Music:
Established in 2008, The Fuel Music & Management, LLC, is a leading artist management and artist solutions company that independently distributes music internationally. Based in Nashville, TN, the Fuel team brings nearly 70 years of combined music industry experience in record label operations, major label distribution and marketing, and artist management for artists ranging from upstart bands to GRAMMY Award-winning, multi-Platinum artists. More information on the company can be found at www.thefuelmusic.com.

Kurtis Parks - Episode 366

Kurtis Parks - Episode 366
About Kurtis Parks:
Having written over 1,200 songs across several musical genres, Kurtis Parks has been a top 50 American Idol (fourth season) finalist, been featured on the Fox Morning Show, BET’s Bobby Jones Gospel Hour, and had his “Forever Changed” song (written for his beloved Virginia Tech community after the April 2007 tragedy) featured on NBC News and CNN. Sharing the stage with such well-known artists as John Mayer, Howie Day, Sanctus Real, Reliant K, Gungor, Ben Folds and many more, Parks’ worship choruses are also sung around the world in churches every weekend. Producing over 50 albums for various Christian artists nationwide and serving as worship director from 2010 to 2017 at Washington, DC-based National Community Church (NCC), Parks founded Bridges Nashville church in 2018 where he serves as lead pastor. He also released his first book in 2016, Sound Check, a book on authentic worship, as well as his first Kurtis Parks and Friends kids album, Story Songs from Scripture. Speaking, leading worship and preaching at conferences and festivals nationally, He and his wife Sarah are based in Nashville and have two children, Norah and Moses.
 
Worship team members from downtown Nashville, Tennessee-based Bridges Nashville church spent the week of March 23, 2020 recording video and audio from their respective homes for their new single "Jesus You Are" releasing today (Good Friday, April 10) from Venture3Media (V3M). The song is available now at Apple Music, iTunes, Spotify, Google Play and additional digital and streaming outlets globally. A Bridges Nashville: Jesus You Are Deluxe Version is also available as exclusives from Apple Music and iTunes.
 
Following back-to-back hardships faced by the church planted Sept. 2018 by Kurtis Parks in partnership with National Community Church, a multi-site church led by Pastor and NY Times best-selling author Mark Batterson, “Jesus You Are” has been an anthem for the church to sing over the last couple months.
 
“Worship songs can become altar-moments to God’s faithfulness, even in a tough season,” shares Parks, Bridges Nashville’s lead pastor and co-writer of the song with worship leader Delaney Ramsdell.
 
Over the last couple months, the church, which gathers at The Listening Room Café in downtown Nashville, had all of its signage, worship and production equipment stolen followed a week later by a devastating tornado that ripped through the areas of Nashville the church serves. Now dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic, Bridges Nashville’s worship team remotely gathered online from their sheltering locations across the US to record the song from their homes. “From Texas to Virginia, and all in between, while social distancing, we were unified in worship,” shares Parks.
 
With Travis Flynn editing the resulting iPhone video and Patrick McDermott and Cordell Bay mixing the audio, Bridges Nashville initially shared the “Jesus You Are” recording on its Facebook page April 3, which was quickly viewed by tens-of-thousands and shared hundreds of times.
 
“We knew that this is a song for right now, for our world and what we are all going through,” says Parks in the song story video at www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGmQuY2csxw&feature=youtu.be. “The words of the bridge say that Jesus is the Prince of Peace and the Son of Truth. If there are two things our world needs to be reminded of right now, it’s that God is peace in the midst the storm and Jesus is the way, the truth and the life even among confusion and much doubting. I pray that as you listen to this song, it’s an inspiration and hope-filling for you today.”
 
Prince of peace, Son of truth
Maker of all things new
Jesus You are, Jesus You are
More of You, less of me
Who is worth everything
Jesus You are, Jesus You are
 (“Jesus You Are” bridge.)
 
For all the latest Bridges Nashville news, visit www.bridgesnashville.com, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
About Bridges Nashville:
A community-driven, Gospel-centered church meeting at The Listening Room Café downtown Nashville, Bridges Nashville combines music and message, teaching the Scriptures through song and focusing on discipleship, relationship and worship. With shorter, TED-style sermons on Sundays, the church engages in mission and community work throughout the week and is dedicated to seeing the residents of urban Nashville discover the love of God, the hope of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit.
About Venture3Media:
Venture3Media is a global music label and song publisher with sales, marketing, promotional, radio, television and movie expertise. V3M provides distribution platforms across all digital channels, including but not limited to Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, Amazon, Deezer, Tencent, 7Digital, Google Music, Facebook, Pandora, Tidal, Sirius and Rhapsody. Physical distribution includes online retailers such as Amazon, national retail chains, sub-distributors and internationally through well-established licensee’s and distributors.
 
Looking for some music during your time at home?
Buy Rick Lee James Music on Bandcamp: www.RickLeeJames.Bandcamp.com
or on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3abA3po 
 

QuarantEaster 2020 - Episode 365

QuarantEaster 2020 - Episode 365
The quarantine continues, but so does the resurrection. Join me today for a few reflections on QuarantEaster 2020.
 
Blessings,
Rick Lee James
 
Looking for some music during your time at home?
Buy Rick Lee James Music on Bandcamp: www.RickLeeJames.Bandcamp.com
or on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3abA3po 
 

Good Friday With WILLIAM WILLIMON's Lectionary Sermon Resource - Episode 364

Good Friday With WILLIAM WILLIMON's Lectionary Sermon Resource - Episode 364
Will Willimon served as the Dean of Duke Chapel and Professor of Christian Ministry at Duke University for two decades. He returned to Duke after serving a Bishop of the North Alabama Conference of the United Methodist Church from 2004 to 2012. Willimon is the author of over 70 books. In early 2018 he released, “Who Lynched Willie Earle?: Confronting Racism Through Preaching”. We had a discussion about that book on this podcast shortly after it released, then last year Dr. Willimon came back on the show to talk about his Memoir Accidental Preacher and again we had a wonderful discussion about his life and ministry. In 2020, he released a powerful sermon resource for ministers who use the Revised Common Lectionary in their preaching and service planning called Will Willimon's Lectionary Sermon Resource.
 
To purchase William Willimon's New book, click below:
https://amzn.to/2XirYwn
 
William Willimon's Blog: https://willwillimon.wordpress.com/

Dealing With Loss & When A Pet Dies - Episode 363

Dealing With Loss & When A Pet Dies
This week I'm sharing a new episode of my other Podcast, Welcome To The Neighborhood: A Mister Rogers Tribute Podcast. Because we are all dealing with loss in many ways I thought it might be a good idea to share an episode like this one that deals with loss and the death of a pet.
Blessings,
Rick Lee James
Buy This Book: https://amzn.to/341XfoI
Hosted by Rick Lee James
Mister Rogers Quotes on Twitter: @MisterRogersSay
Rick Lee James on Twitter: @RickLeeJames
Rick Lee James Web Site: www.RickLeeJames.com

Pandemics and Kickstarters: Episode 361

Pandemics and Kickstarters: Episode 361
 
 
As Always...Thank You For Listening To Voices In My Head
  
About Your Host: Rick Lee James
For more information on Rick Lee James, visit www.rickleejames.com, or follow him on Twitter and Facebook. Listen to his official podcast at www.voicesinmyheadpodcast.com, and get a daily dose of wisdom from Mister Rogers at @MisterRogersSay.
“Welcome To The Neighborhood: A Mister Rogers Tribute Podcast” podcast can be heard HERE.Request the “Thunder Radio Special” at www.crwradiopromotions.com. 
Official Web Site: www.RickLeeJames.com
Get Rick Lee James Latest Album: https://fanlink.to/RLJThunder
In partnership with CRW Radio Promotions, singer, songwriter and worship leader Rick Lee James debuts a brand new radio special. The “Thunder Radio Special” can be heard exclusively on James’ official YouTube channel or his website. It was also recently added to Spotify and Apple Music. Radio stations interested in airing the “Thunder Radio Special” can contact Kathryn Ambrose at CRW Radio Promotions at kathryn@westarmediagroup.com.

DAVE TROUT OF UTR MEDIA and WHITE OWL MUSIC FEST - Episode 360

DAVE TROUT OF UTR MEDIA and WHITE OWL MUSIC FEST - Episode 360
UTR is putting on Music City's newest music festival! Come spend a day on the farm with Sara Groves, Brothers McClurg, Joy Ike, Andrew Greer and a half dozen more amazing artists.... May 24 (and all weekend). 
http://whiteowlmusicfest.com/

Overcome By Fear - Rick Lee James - Episode 359

Overcome By Fear - Rick Lee James - Episode 359
This episode was recorded live on Transfiguration Sunday 2020. 

PHIL KEAGGY & INSTRUMENTS OF JOY founder JOSHUA MACLEOD - Episode 358

PHIL KEAGGY and INSTRUMENTS OF JOY founder JOSHUA MACLEOD  - Episode 358
There are thousands of aspiring musicians in the developing world who lack the necessary resources to purchase quality musical instruments. People living in impoverished communities need the joy and inspiration that music provides. Instruments of Joy, a Christian-based 501c3 nonprofit organization collects instruments in Nashville and gets them to needy communities in the developing world.
JOSHUA MACLEOD, who has worked on relief and development projects in more than 18 countries worldwide founded Instruments of Joy in 2013.
 
Phil KEaggy is an American acoustic and electric guitarist and vocalist who has released more than 50 albums and contributed to many more recordings in both the contemporary Christian music and mainstream markets. He is a seven-time recipient of the GMA Dove Award for Instrumental Album of the Year, and was twice nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rock Gospel Album. He has frequently been listed as one of the world's top-three "finger-style", as well as "finger-picking", guitarists by Guitar Player Magazine readers' polls.
 
On March 6th, 2020 PHIL KEAGGY will be headlining a benefit for Instrumentsof Joy alongside renown artists Audrey Assad, Buddy Greene, Jeff Taylor
JOSHUA and PHIL both stopped by the podcast to tell us more about this great ministry.
 
Phil Keaggy’s Web Site: http://www.philkeaggy.com/
 
 
Music heard on today's show is from this album! Buy It Now 
 
Instruments of Joy Web Site: https://instrumentsofjoy.org/
 Purchase Tickets for the Instruments of Joy Benefit Concert: https://instrumentsofjoy.org/events/

Stories With WILLIAM WILLIMON - Episode 357

Stories With WILLIAM WILLIMON - Episode 357
Will Willimon served as the Dean of Duke Chapel and Professor of Chistian Ministry at Duke University for two decades. He returned to Duke after serving a Bishop of the North Alabama Conference of the United Methodist Church from 2004 to 2012. Willimon is the author of over 70 books. In early 2018 he released, “Who Lynched Willie Earle?: Confronting Racism Through Preaching”. We had a discussion about that book on this podcast shortly after it released, then last year Dr. Willimon came back on the show to talk about his Memoir Accidental Preacher and again we had a wonderful discussion about his life and ministry. Well in 2020, he has yet again released another new book called Stories by Willimon, a collection of some of his most beloved, memorable, and impactful stories. Dr. Willimon has graciously stopped by our podcast for a visit again today so that we can talk about Stories, and I am grateful to him for that.
 
To purchase William Willimon's New book, Stories By Willimon, click below:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1501894137/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1501894137&linkCode=as2&tag=rickleejame00-20&linkId=2ac30bd7ccc5af82d933d96d8e10955f
 
William Willimon's Blog: https://willwillimon.wordpress.com/